NEWPORT pulled off one of the shocks of the FA Cup second qualifying round on Saturday and then had a good old laugh about what a dreadful team they are.

Manager Steve Tate watched with satisfaction as his side turfed out Dr Martens Premier Division outfit Tiverton Town 2-1 and emerged from an elated St George's Park changing room, chuckling: "My players are all in there saying we're the worst football side in the world - and, let's face it, we were awful!"

Typically of Tate, he had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek at the time. Despite a fabulous start to the season, which has brought seven wins and a draw from ten league and cup games, it never fails to amaze him how little credit his young lions receive from the opposition.

Locally Newport have got the better of Fleet, Bashley and Fareham this season and, yet on each occasion, the beaten manager has counted his team hard done by rather than credited the Islanders for a job well done.

"I feel really sorry for these sides who keep on hammering us but never get the result they deserve!" said Tate, with a heavy hint of irony. "Long may teams outclass us and go home losing.

"No doubt Tiverton will leave here tonight feeling they deserved to go through, but the fact is we were much better than they were. It's not rocket science, but teams haven't caught on yet that we give people a lot of possession and then score goals on the break."

That fact was perfectly illustrated on Saturday when, having soaked up 20 minutes of solid Tiverton pressure, Newport suddenly emerged from their defensive shell to cause havoc.

Glenn Howes was only inches off target with Port's first meaningful chance of the afternoon in the 24th-minute, picking up a loose ball midway inside the Tiverton half and unleashing a looping shot on the run which disappeared just past the top of the post.

Tiverton had mustered a series of half chances before that, but there was nothing to unduly panic new signing Simon Arthur, who gave another assured performance in the Newport goal.

True to plan it was the Islanders who seized the lead in the 32nd minute when Danny Hatcher's corner from the left was only partially cleared as far as former Basingstoke Town midfielder Howes, who drilled the ball home low and true from 20 yards.

That blow seemed to rock Tiverton to their foundations - and not surprisingly so. When they had last visited the Island nine months previously they had come away rampant 7-1 winners in the Dr Martens League Cup.

But they learned to their cost on Saturday that Tate's young side have done a lot of growing up since then.

Two minutes into the second half Tivvy chins hit the floor again as a sweet passing move involving Lee Chudy and Adam Barsdell invited Jamie O'Rourke to sweep Newport 2-0 up with an angled shot from the right.

The stunned visitors threw on pacy frontman Jamie Rudge and the response was immediate as he latched onto Steve Winter's throw and set up Richard Pears to fire Tiverton back into the tie.

The Devonshire side blitzed Port with a series of crosses late on, and after David Steele had missed one free header, the impressive Mudge had his close-range effort expertly tipped over by Arthur.

But ultimately it was the fast-breaking Islanders who should have had more with Chudy stabbing the ball wide of a gaping net in the 68th minute and free-scoring midfielder Gareth Keeping denied by a goalline clearance in the dying seconds.

Tate said: "We thoroughly deserved the win. They huffed and puffed but never really hurt us. It got a bit hair-raising towards the end, but then it's going to against a side like Tiverton. We had 12 superstars out there today who held their own against a very competitive side in what was a cracking cup tie."

The only two clubs to have got the better of Port this season are Eastern Division title tips King's Lynn and Eastleigh.

Tate smiled: "If we're only going to lose to teams of that calibre then I'll be a happy man.

"My players today did exactly what myself and Taffy (assistant manager Taffy Richardson) told them to and until someone susses out how we play, we're going to keep winning games."